Conventional refrigeration appliances, such as domestic refrigerators, have a solid, insulated door that closes the compartment(s) of the appliance. The door is heavily insulated to help maintain the temperature within the compartment(s) within an acceptable temperature range. When the compartment is a fresh food compartment a refrigeration system maintains the compartment at temperatures above 0° C. for food items such as fruits, vegetables, and beverages. When the compartment is a freezer compartment, the refrigeration system maintains the compartment at temperatures below 0° C. However, these conventional refrigerator doors are opaque.
Grocery stores typically utilize refrigeration appliances where a door of the appliance is made of glass. The glass allows the grocery store the ability to present products for sale in an aesthetically pleasing manner and allows consumers to view the products prior to opening the door to retrieve the desired product. One particular problem with these conventional refrigeration appliances is that the doors are usually poorly insulated. This is not a great concern in grocery stores as the loss of cool air is compensated for by using large refrigeration systems and the economic sale of the purchased items.
However, it is impractical and costly to use large refrigeration systems for refrigeration appliances that are intended for household use. Accordingly, there is a need in the art of refrigeration systems to provide a refrigeration appliance with a glass door that is energy efficient and still allows a user the ability to view the contents of the appliance without opening the door.